The Princess Project

Welcome Princess Danielle!!

2012-01-30T06:10:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our Royal Family, Princess Danielle!!

Heart of Gold Madi wins a new title!!

2012-01-30T05:58:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to our Heart of Gold Award winner, Madi Dodge, who just became the new Miss Cape Henlopen's Outstanding Teen 2012!!

Honoring a Military Wife with a Heart of Gold

2011-12-23T16:52:00.000-08:00

I received a request to honor someone recently. Here's what he wrote about his wife, Yvonne:
"Hello and good day. I am active duty army stationed at ft. leonardwood mo. I was on deployment in kabul afgahinistan on Jan 2 2010 in a convoy of trucks delivering food water and medical equipment to soldiers in a remote part of kabul. My vehicle was struck by an ied. I sustained life threatining injuries to my face. It required 3 surgeries and recontruction to my nose and face. I have since been in recovery here at post. I suffered severe ptsd and severe traumatic brain injury along with both knees having torn mcl"s. I am currently still active duty and recieving treatment before being medically retired from the army. I am also recieving social security disability due to not being able to work due to my injuries.During all the trauma and worries and appointments my wife has been there for any and all times. She has gone above what would be expected of a spouse to include going to a wounded warrior summit and attending a peer mentor class and at this time is assisting wounded and ill soldiers with anything they need as a peer mentor for the wounded warrior project. My wife maintains the household and tends to the needs of our children as well as helping her brother in a time of need when he temporarly had to be a single parent of 5 children by keeping the children while he was at work and also continue to have the daily routine of school and taking care of my needs on a daily basis. At the point that everyone is settled down for the night she tends to her own schoolwork online due to not able to attend classes during the day no more. It has been a very hard struggle for the last 9 months and thru all the issues she has never giving up and continues to help others with her knowledge and caring. It would be a great honor to me to have her recognized for all she has done. Thank you and god bless as he has our family.
S Schulte"

Our newest Princess, Kayla

2011-08-02T09:35:00.001-07:00

We're thrilled to welcome Princess Kayla to our Royal Family!! This is a photo of Kayla keeping track of funds she's raised--$900 for the Epilepsy Foundation in her state! Great job, Princess Kayla! Princess Kayla and her family are already planning to be part of a walk-a-thon fundraiser. They call themselves Kayla's Krew. We give a tip of the tiara to this family!!

More Adventures for Heart of Gold Madi

2011-08-02T09:13:00.000-07:00

Heart of Gold Award winner Madi has been so busy with her job as Youth Advocate for the ADA. I'm sharing a couple of photos of her to show the important people she has met. :-) That's Crystal Bowersox at the mike. I think you'll know the other two!
She's been in San Diego and in Orlando. And she's had time to be a Counselor in Training at Camp Possibilities!! Way to go, Heart of Gold Madi!!

Exciting news from Princess Rachel

2011-08-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

Former Coronet's Nat'l Miss Heart of America, Rachel Bettendorf, has been asked to play a set at the FL House of Blues at their Sunday Gospel Brunch! We send her heaps of congratulatory smiles and our best wishes!!

Heart of Gold Madi in CA

2011-06-27T07:28:00.001-07:00

Heart of Gold Award winner Madi is having an exciting week as she continues with her year as the American Diabetes Association's Youth Advocate. I'll let her tell about it in her own words: "It is exciting to say that this update is brought to you clear from the opposite side of the United States...all the way from Sunny San Diego California! I am out here for a week, representing the American Diabetes Association as the National Youth Advocate for the Community Volunteer Leadership Conference and the ADA 71st Scientific Sessions. Since we arrived here on Wednesday I have had some pretty amazing experiences. I had the great opportunity to address the group with a speech about the importance of the ADA Safe at School Campaign as part of the ACT advocacy session. I have met some of the most dedicated diabetes volunteers and advocates the world has ever seen, I have seen the unveiling of the Association’s 2012-15 Strategic Plan and have had opportunities to work with our local market on ideas and strategies to help us meet our new goals. I am completely impressed that the “new” vision statement for the association comphttp://www.blogghttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifer.com/img/blank.gifletely and totally matches my own…I dream of a” life free of diabetes and all its burdens”. Beinghttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif out here, I am even more determined to make that dream my personal reality and the reality for the 18.8 Americans currently diagnosed with diabetes, the 7 million more who do not yet know they have it, and the millions more who are impacted by diabetes in many other ways. Yes… there WILL be a cure!"
We could help Madi by going to her pages and "liking" them.

National Youth Advocate page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/American-Diabetes-Association-National-Youth-Advocate/48596398079

Madison’s Prayer Page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/MadisonsPrayer

Heart of Gold Madi is the ADA 2011 Youth Advocate

2010-12-22T05:58:00.000-08:00

This news is so exciting and I will use Madi's mother's own words to explain:
"Yesterday Evening Madi received a call to tell her that she has been chosen as the American Diabetes Association’s 2011 National Youth Advocate! The application process for this is rigorous with numerous essays, a portfolio of work for the ADA, letters of recommendation and a video project. Madi has applied each year since she was 9. She has been the youth/teen ambassador for Delaware/Eastern Shore and a Delaware Advocate for years… all in preparation for what has been a major goal of hers… to serve as the National Youth Advocate!

In this one year position Madi will work in close coordination with the ADA to communicate diabetes advocacy message through Nation-wide speaking engagements, the internet, social media and directly to policymakers. She will meet with elected officials about funding, health care and discrimination policies. She will attend training and National Advocacy meetings in DC. She will travel throughout the country to ADA Camps to teach and hopefully inspire children with diabetes… This is the part that she is MOST excited about!"

Madi herself puts it this way:
"You know how I applied for the National Youth Advocate? Well.......
I WAS CHOSEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am soooooo excited!!!!! I have worked at this for 8 years and now I'm finally old enough and now I get to travel all over the country and be a spokesperson and advocate for the ADA..."

The photo shows Madi with her individual and team fundraising trophies from the Step Out Walk.

Madison Dodge we tip our tiaras to you!!!!!!!!!

Princess Rachel and Bandit are official helpers!

2010-07-28T17:18:00.000-07:00

Princess Rachel and her dog, Bandit, are newly certified as Therapy Dog Handler and Therapy dog!! This photo shows Rachel accepting her certificate. We'll add one of her with Bandit soon.

Heart of Gold Madi is in an ad campaign!

2010-07-28T17:16:00.000-07:00

Heart of Gold Madi is the focus of an ad campaign for medical devices. She's had many interviews so far! Way to go, Madi!!

Welcome to a pink Princess

2010-07-28T17:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our newest Royal Princess, who loves lots of pink!!

A new Prince and the royal Princesses

2010-07-01T14:26:00.001-07:00

We welcome a family to our Royal Family! His sisters are Princesses now also!

A thoroughly Princessy Princess

2010-06-21T10:26:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe I'm posting with photos of two Princesses in one day!!! What a joy to do so!!

This Princess loves princesses so much that she has her own lovely costumes. The tiaras and doll are from The Princess Project. (Thanks to Dawn Weyer for sending me that rhinestone tiara in my Christmas box.)

Such lovely royal portraits, Princess S. We are soooo pleased to receive them and post them with great pleasure.

a fair faced Princess receives her presents

2010-06-21T07:40:00.000-07:00

This is one really beautiful Princess!! She loved the feathery tiara and the mirror. Her rhinestone tiara is in a plastic box behind her leg.
Thanks so much to her Queen mom for sharing this photo!

New Heart of Gold Award Winner

2010-06-06T06:38:00.000-07:00

Kylee Black, of New Zealand, is our newest Heart of Gold Award winner. I'll let her tell her story in her own words:
My name is Kylee and I am 23 fighting chronic illness myself... I have set up a website to support other kids, teens and adults battling acute and chronic illness with encouragement books, cards, packages, care cards, flat stanley projects and other projects kids can have made for them... I was wondering if I could link your website on Spirit Sparkplugs, which is the site I have set up.... The website address is www.spiritsparkplugs.comand my caringbridge where you can learn more about me and my story is www.caringbridge.org/visit/kyleeblack.... You are more than welcome to pass along my Spirit Sparkplugs website to anyone you think may benefit....

Welcome to the Royal Family, Kylee! You're a remarkable person!!

Heart of Gold Madi

2010-05-20T17:13:00.000-07:00

Heart of Gold Award winner, Madison Dodge, recently hosted a successful Dance4Diabetes fundraiser! Madi, you continue to amaze us with your upbeat personality and zest for life. That's Madi in the gold t-shirt.

Four Princesses

2010-04-27T07:18:00.000-07:00

We're pleased to share these photos of four Princess sisters! It was a bright spot in the day when we saw them! Thanks to the Royal sisters!

Heart of Gold Madi is in Delaware Today!

2010-04-22T18:17:00.000-07:00

We're proud to post this link to Delaware Today so you can read about our Heart of Gold Award winner, Madi Dodge. She's such an outstanding young woman! The article expresses it better than I can:
http://www.delawaretoday.com/Delaware-Today/Health-and-Fitness/Spring-Summer-2010/Born-to-Volunteer/

A very elegant Princess

2010-02-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

Here's a sparkly photo of an elegant Princess in an incredibly beautiful dress--with a friend. :-)
Sometimes it's difficult to get a photo of a child in her tiara. So on a couple of occasions, this being one, I've photoshopped another photo with the mom's permission.
Sometimes children just won't leave the tiara in for a photo or they've lost too much hair to wear one. There was a brand available for awhile that came on a headband and I was really sad to see that no longer carried.
There have been about two instances when we received no photo of a child at all, and once not even word that the package had arrived. But, usually we are eventually thrilled when we get a snapshot. And one of the reasons is that sometimes someone besides us has purchased the tiara and we like to give a photo to them. (This isn't the case with this Princess so no worries! :-)

The New Year

2010-01-18T10:37:00.000-08:00

I love this photo of Elizabeth taken recently in Phoenix.--Marian
Our hearts go out to the people of Haiti. The enormity of the tragedy is hard to wrap your mind around.
We enjoyed so much unwrapping three pretty rhinestone tiaras which were tucked into our Christmas box from Charles and Dawn! Some lucky little ones will be the recipients. :-)
We'd love to have new photos to share but so many of our little Royal ones are ill. Princess Kennedi has been in the hospital and that has delayed photos, of course.
(Also, spending time in the hospital or ER were Princess Stella, Heart of Gold MJ, Princess Mellaya, Princess Lauryn, Princess Melanie, and Princess Lisa.)
We'd love photos of Princess Ariel and Princess Hailee, also, but realize how time can get away, even when all in the family are well!
Whenever they arrive, we will enjoy them. :-)
We're always willing to add to our royal family so pass this site along if you know of someone who could use some sparkle!

Newest Princesses

2009-10-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

Our newest Royal Princesses are such a beautiful quartet of sisters! We look forward to receiving their Royal Portraits!!

Our newest Princess

2009-07-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

Here's another photo of our newest Princess, Princess Melanie. She has three Princess Sisters, too! We'd like everyone to keep her in their thoughts. Princess Melanie needs a LOT of healing to take place in her lungs!!

A package will go out later this week to Princess Ariel!!

Heart of Gold Award winner in Johnson and Johnson video

2009-04-21T07:37:00.000-07:00

Madi has been her usual busy self lately. She will be honored in Washington, D.C. soon as the Delaware Middle School winner of a Prudential Spirit of Community Award.
She has recently earned the title of Nat'l Miss Heart of Gold (see photo :-) and she has just had a video added to a Johnson and Johnson web site. This not only tells about Madi's experience with an insulin delivery system, it also tells about Madi's volunteerism for the American Diabetes Association and mentions her American Girl award. This young lady has accomplished SO MUCH! She is truly amazing! We'll let her mom tell about the video in her own words:

Hi All~
As some of you know, Madi had the great opportunity to work with Johnson & Johnson on a story they were doing for their annual report on the PING insulin delivery system that she uses to help control her diabetes. The interviewer, the photo crew and the film crew came to our house and followed Madi through a day of school and her Broadway Bound classes after school. The finished products are now available on their website if you are interested in seeing them (video). When you go to the link, if you scroll over the small photo of Madi and Blizzard, it will show you a link to read the story from the annual report or watch the video. It was a great experience:) I hope you enjoy~
www.jnj.com/connect/
Wendy

If this link won't load for you, there's another on the sidebar which works.
On my computer I scrolled over a photo of Madi and then I think I had to click on the video, which is called Girl on the Go.
You'll really enjoy watching this!

Cassidy meets the Congressman!

2009-03-31T08:37:00.000-07:00

Princess Cassidy, a Heart of Gold Award winner, was given a benefit concert recently, the idea of young Tristan Futrell. Cassidy has done much to raise money for Chiari research and this concert was to help her family with all their medical expenses, as well as with some other hardships the family has faced.
I will let her mom, Stacey, tell the other good news in her own words:
"I received a phone call from our Congressman’s office yesterday and he read Cassidy's article in the paper that they send to Washington so they can keep up with local news. He is flying back from Washington tomorrow to be here for her benefit and he wants to meet Cassidy and get to know more about Chiari Malformation and SM. This is great! We need more people to know more about this in Washington. We need more Federal money for research. They have to find a way to cure this one day. Our children should not have to suffer from this any more. I know there are so many things out there that need more federal government attention and this is just one of them. I pray hard for everyone that has a child that is dealing or has had to earn their wings that we can all get the federal government to step up and say ok, yes, we know and we will help. Here is the link to the article in our paper http://www.tribunecourier.com/stories/news/mar24news3.html It is a great article. Also you can find another http://thelakenews.net/News.php."

Hurray for Princess Cassidy!!!

Heart of Gold Madi, wins a Prudential Award and a title!

2009-02-13T04:25:00.000-08:00

We're so happy to announce that Madi Dodge, our newest Heart of Gold Award winner, has been named one of two of Delaware's top two youth volunteers by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The awards program, now in its 14th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
CONGRATULATIONS, MADI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Madi also recently won the title of Teen Miss Delaware Valley! CONGRATS!!!!

Madi wins a Heart of Gold Award

2009-02-09T18:31:00.000-08:00

Our latest Heart of Gold Award winner is an amazing 13 year old named Madi. "Madi works tirelessly as an ambassador for the American Diabetes Association, to raise money for a cure. She was diagnosed with type one diabetes when she was 5. Madi has organized and implemented many fundraisers to raise money for her walk team, Madison's Prayer. Madi has been team captain of her team since she was 5. Madi not only holds annual events like her "Skate 4 a CURE" but she also makes and sells individually handcrafted journals that she has named "Journal magic". ALl proceeds from the sale of her journals goes to help support people with diabetes and to help find a cure. Madi works hard in public advocacy for people with diabetes, meeting yearly with her congressmen and representatives to keep them abreast of the needs and complications of living with diabetes. Madi puts together and distributes bags that she delivers to people who are newly diagnosed. She sets up information booths at community events to share information about diabetes and she has spoken at many public events as well. Madi is determined to do all that she can to beat diabetes! Nothing gets in the way of achieving her goals!
However, this fall something nearly did. Madi was diagnosed with a relatively rare disease, Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis and Ulcerative duodenitis. To make a long story short, this disease of the white blood cells, eosinophils, has caused extensive damage to Madi's stomach and has robbed her of her ability to eat foods by mouth. For the last three months Madi has been tube fed an elemental formula to allow her body to heal. She will hopefully begin the long road back to eating soon. At this point she is healing, and we are hopeful that she will return to school soon. She has been on homebound instruction for three months. None of this has broken Madi's incredible spirit, and it has not gotten in the way of her goal to help cure diabetes. Although this "new" disease is not curable, and it is not related to her diabetes in any way, she is determined to fight it as well! Madi is blessed with a joyful. giving, spirit!"

2009-01-31T11:58:00.001-08:00

This is one of our newest Princesses. We are waiting for her official Royal Portrait, but this photo from her site is so cute!!

Gabby's Givers Wins Heart of Gold Award

2008-12-26T20:38:00.000-08:00

Gabby's Givers Holiday Toy Drive has been awarded a Heart of Gold Award by The Princess Project. This Christmas, over 130 children battling cancer at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia were given presents thanks to Gabriella's organization (with help from Mom, Rachel). Gabby is herself a patient at CHOP.

MJ--A New Heart of Gold Award Winner!!

2008-11-27T08:08:00.000-08:00

The Princess Project is so proud to announce a new Heart of Gold Award winner--Margaret Purk!!!!
The Heart of Gold Award is given to those who face a challenge in their own life but rise above that challenge to help others who face similar circumstances.

Margaret "MJ" Purk is considered a Queen by all the children who know and love her.
Here is MJ's story in her own words:
I lost my mother to a car accident when I was 2 1/2 years old and my sister to SMA when I was 3. I first started giving when I was 9 and had spinal fusion and gave a little girl on PICU a beanie baby and just started giving. My first was handing out beanie babies at SMA Conferences and donated books and beanies to the PICU (Newark, NJ). I then started making cards or notes for SMA Kids and kids with Cancer and started sending out 25 a month and before I stopped at age 16, was up to 100 cards a month. Then started B4SMA (www.our-sma-angels.com/b4sma) and also taught myself how to do websites. Now I design and maintain about 70 websites on www.our-sma-angels.com in my free time. I am a junior at Wright State University, majoring in Rehabilitation Services, have a 3.7 gpa, despite missing 90 days of school last year due to a perforated intestine, the flu, and having trach surgery. I think that is me in a nutshell!--MJ Purk.

Please see the bios of all our other Heart of Gold Award winners (pictured in the slide show) on the main site:
www.princessprojects.com

2008-08-14T11:29:00.000-07:00

Our newest Princesses and Princes, beginning with July/August 08, are in this new slide show! There's also a photo of Elizabeth taken at Yellowstone.

Heart of Gold Award Winners

2008-07-31T11:24:00.000-07:00

Our Heart of Gold Award winners are
Madison Dodge--diabetes awareness and fundraising
Gabriella Turono--Gabby's Givers, Christmas gifts for children in CHOP
MJ Purk--SMA websites for kids
Terri Helmick--CDH Awareness Day in Iowa (See Terri's daughter, Ava, with a copy.)
Valerie Taylor Tittle--SMA Awareness Month in Alabama (See photo of Valerie and Sen.
Bedford)
Cassidy Thorn--Chiari research fundraiser
Michala Riggle--autism fundraiser
Samantha Thomson--nutrition classes
Miranda Miller--respiratory therapist
Reagan Clover--survivor of childhood trauma becoming a family therapist
Lisa Thele--diabetes camp volunteer
Check for links on the sidebar to some of their sites.

2008-07-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

This blog was started as an auxiliary site for The Princess Project, an international charitable foundation with the mission of giving challenged girls the attitude of a Princess--and boys the attitude of a Prince. The home site for The Princess Project is

http://www.princessprojects.com

and our Caring Bridge site is